Roller adjustment for printing-presses



{No Model.)

P. SPLITHOPF. I ROLLER ADJUSTMENT FOR PRINTING PRBSSES.

Patented Jan. "7, 1896.

HAM. PNOI'VKINQWASNINGTOMDC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

PETER SPLITHOFF, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RbLLER ADJUSTMENT FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,790, dated January 7, 1896 Application filed July 2, 1894. Serial No. 516,372. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER SPLITHOFF, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Roller Adjustments for Printing-Presses, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has 'forits object to provide a novel means for adjusting the axial position of a printing-roller, for a purpose to be described.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with what are known as rotary presses, in which the ink is transferred from the ink-ro1ler to the plate or printing-cylinder by rollers interposed between the same, and commonly termed form-rollers. These form-rollers consist essentially of a core, upon which is a thick layer of a gluelike composition, soft in substance and easily flattened or otherwise injured or distorted from its true cylindrical shape.

In practice, if the press be stopped and permitted to remain at rest for any considerable period of time with any or all of the formrollers in contact with adjacent rollers or parts, it will be found that the surface of one or more of the form-rollers will have been flattened along its line of contact with said adjacent rollers or parts. Again, when the printing or stereotyped plates are first placed upon the plate-cylinder and are cleaned down there is more or less moisture held in the type-face of the plate or type, which, if it should come in contact with aform-roller during its first rotation and before the moisture shall have been absorbed by contact with the web of paper, said moisture acting upon the glue-like composition of the form-roller will soon ruin the same.

Form rollers as now used in printingpresses are, therefore, but short-lived.

My invention comprehends an improved axial adjustment for any or all of the form or other composition rollers, whereby said rollers may be quickly thrown out of contact with any adjacent rollers or parts when the press is at rest and thereby prevented from being flattened or otherwise injured.

In carrying out my invention I employ a rotatable handle-lever, which preferably acts through an eccentric to vary the axial adjustment of the roller, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth. a

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation a suflicient portion of a rotary press to enable my invention to be understood; Fig. 2, a section on the dotted line at to, Fig. 1, looking to the right; and Fig. 3, a section on the dotted line as on, also looking to the right.

Referring to the drawings, in the preferred embodiment of my invention therein shown to illustrate the same, A is the frame of suitable shape and construction to sustain the working parts, there being two members to the frame, one at each side of the press, only one being herein shown, it being understood that each roller has bearings at opposite sides of the press, the description of the mechanism at one side being deemed sufficient.

B is a plate or printing-cylinder upon which the stereotype or printing-plates b are secured in suitable manner, the said roller being mounted to rotate on suitable end journals I), as shown.

O is the ink-cylinder mounted on suitable end journals 0 having their bearings in the frame, and D is an impression-cylinder, about which the web of paper is passed, and which holds the said paper in contact with the platecylinder B.

E F are what are known as form-rollers, the same consisting of an outer coating of composition 6 f, mounted upon suitable cores having end journals 6 f. The journals e of the roller E are carried in suitable opentop bearings 6 made adjustable in usual yokes e pivoted at c and retained in ad justed angular position by set-screws 6 the said bearings being made vertically adjustable in said yokes by screws 6 When the press is stopped, the form-roller E may be easily and quickly lifted from its bearings e and placed in suitable position where its surface will be free from contact with any roller or part. Not so, however, with the roller F, and my invention, as herein disclosed, relates to the roller F, because of the impossibility of removing the same in like manner to the roller E.

In accordance with my invention the journals f of the roller F have their bearings in an eccentric sleeve f flanged at its inner end at f (see Figs. 2 and 3) and mounted in the lower end of a bearing-box f, adapted at its upper end to fit and slide in the yoke) (shown as pivoted 'at f to the frame) and retained in adjusted angular position by a suitable setscrew f. The bearing-boxf" is made vertically adjustable in the yoke f by means of a threaded or screw-adjusting device f a clamp-bolt f carried by the box and passing through a slot in the box furnishing means by which to clamp the same in vertically-adjusted position in the said yoke. The outer end of the eccentric sleeve f projects beyond the face of the box f and has keyed to its projecting end the hub of the adjusting handle-lever h. The handle-lever h, as shown, is split and provided with a clamping-screw 77/ by which itmay be clamped in preliminary position upon the end of the sleeve f until the key referred to is inserted.

Should it ever be found necessary or desirable to change the angular position of the handle-lever with relation to the sleeve, the friction-clamp controlled by the screw 7L2 is sufficient, although the key in addition thereto is preferable. The hub of the han dle-lever h is slotted at h to receive the clampingscrew h projecting from the face of the bearin g-boxf the outer end of said screw receiv ing a thumb-nut 7r by which the said handlelever with its attached eccentric bearing may be clamped in desired adjusted position.

In the drawings, the handle is shown in its lowermost position, with the eccentric bearing turned to drop the roller F away from and out of contact with the peripheries of the cylinders B and C.

WVhen it is desired to set the press in operationas, for instance, when new stereotype-plates are clamped upon the cylinder B the press is started and the cylinder 13 permitted to make one or more complete rotations, sufficient to cause the web of paper passing about or in contact with it to absorb all moisture from the face of the plate or type. The thumb-screw 7L5 is then slackened and the handle-lever h turned through, say, one hundred and eighty degrees into its dottedline position, Fig. 1, thereby causing the eccentric sleeve f rotated with the handle-lever, to raise the roller F into contact with both cylinders B and O. The handle-lever is clamped in its new position by means of the thumb-nut 77. and the parts so remain during the continuous operation of the press.

When, for any reason, it becomes necessary to stop the press, the thumb-nut h is at once slackened and the handle-lever turned into its lowermost position, as in full lines, Fig. 1, thereby dropping a roller axially out of contact with the cylinders B and 0.

It will thus be seen that when the press is not in use the form-rollers, which, as stated, are of soft composition, are dropped free from contact with any adjacent roller or part, and are, therefore, uninjured, either by flattening or otherwise, but that when the press is started said roller is easily and quickly drawn up into operative engagement with adjacent rollers or cylinders. So long as the rollers are in motion they are not open to any liabil-' ity to injury by flattening; but as soon as the press is stopped and the rollers are permitted to remain stationary, one in contact with another, then each receives a flat surface along the line of contact of the two.

It is understood that the end journal of the form-roller F at each side of the machine is mounted in the same manner.

The eccentric sleeve in which the journal runs may be easily and cheaply replaced when worn, it being unnecessary to replace any other of the parts.

While I have herein shown my invention as applied to the form-roller F, yet my invention may be used in connection with any other roller in which it may be useful and advantageous.

I claim 1. In a printing press, the combination with the frame, of an adjustable roller bearing and hanger, the same comprising a yoke pivoted at one side thereof, an adjusting screw for moving said yoke on its pivot as desired, a journal box adjustable in said yoke, an cecentric bushing arranged to rotate in said journal box, and means for rotating aid bushing, consisting of a handle provided at one end with a clamp, by means of which it may be adjustably secured on said bus] ing, substantially as described.

2. In a printing press, the comination with the frame, of an adjustable roller bearing and hanger, the same comprising a yoke pivoted at one side thereof, an adjusting screw for moving said yoke on its pivot as desired, a journal box adjustable in said yoke, an eccentric bushing arranged to rotate in said j ournalbox, and means for rotating said bushing, consisting of a handle provided at one end with a clamp, by means of which it may be adjustably secured on said bushing, said clamp having an arc-shaped slot to co-operate with a clamping bolt provided on said box, whereby said handle may be locked at any point within its range of movement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER SPLITIIOFF. \Vitnesses FREDERICK L. EMERY, EDWARD F. ALLEN. 

